


Ray's Couch

by tinzelda



Category: due South
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-11
Updated: 2013-01-11
Packaged: 2017-11-25 02:58:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/634396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinzelda/pseuds/tinzelda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ray's comfy new couch makes the boys sleepy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ray's Couch

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, thank you, a million times thank you to pharis for going above and beyond the call of beta duty: responding cheerfully to several pleas for re-reads in the wee hours of the morning, holding my hand when I was afraid to write the porny bits, dragging my Luddite brain a little closer to the twenty-first century by helping me post this story, and being generally amazing.

_THE FIRST DAY_

“But why, Ray? Your old couch was in perfectly good condition.”

Ray shrugged. “I couldn’t stretch out on the old one.”

“I’ve seen you lying on that couch several times, and you seemed perfectly comfortable,” Fraser pointed out.

“I had to prop my feet up on the arm. It sucked.”

Fraser pressed his lips together. Ray was pretty sure Fraser didn’t like the word “suck” and found himself saying it a lot just to see the sour face that Fraser made. Ray almost smiled, then stopped because he didn’t want Fraser to know he thought this was funny. But Fraser wasn’t even looking at him. He was looking at the couch, his head to one side, like a new piece of furniture was some kind of puzzle to be solved.

Ray squinted at Fraser and asked, “Is there something wrong with my new couch?”

“No, of course not,” Fraser said. “I’m merely trying to understand—”

“It was a loser couch, OK?”

Fraser’s expression when he looked up was blank, which Ray figured might be as close as Fraser could come to admitting he was confused.

“I bought that couch for fifty bucks from a guy down in evidence. He was moving in with his girlfriend, and I was getting a divorce.” Ray looked Fraser right in the eye. “It was a loser couch.”

“Ah,” Fraser said. “I’m sure this one is just fine, Ray.” But now Fraser was actually frowning at the couch.

“Fine? It’s better than fine.” Ray flopped down on his usual side. “Come on, Fraser,” he said, slapping the cushion next to him. “I bet it’s way more comfortable than that glorified lawn chair you call a bed.”

Fraser smiled at that, but Ray was pretty sure it was the polite smile. Then Fraser sat down, but he perched on the edge of the seat, tall and still like he was balancing something on his head.

Ray groaned. “Come on, Fraser. This is not a sit up all straight and proper kind of couch. You gotta slouch. Like this.” Ray slid his hips right to the edge of the seat and leaned way back. Then he toed off his boots and plunked his feet one after the other onto the coffee table. He looked over at Fraser and raised his eyebrows. He was starting to get annoyed.

He’d wanted a new couch, yeah. Getting rid of the loser couch had been a good idea. But the main reason he’d picked this particular couch to replace it was that it was so nice and deep. He had been thinking, lately, when he and Fraser were watching TV and eating take-out, that a really huge, comfy sofa would be good. That maybe it would help Fraser actually relax and just hang out. Not be so uptight. But this was worse. At least with the old couch, Fraser would lean back.

Ray sat up and scooted down closer to where Fraser was sitting. Fraser’s eyes narrowed.

“Relax, would you?” Ray said, and he pushed on Fraser’s left shoulder, nice and gentle, until his back was resting against the cushion. “There. See? Comfortable.”

Fraser nodded stiffly, looking anything but comfortable. When Ray moved his hand away Fraser said, “I doubt I’ll be able to eat dinner like this, Ray.”

“You can sit up for that,” Ray promised, sliding back to his end of the couch.

Ray jumped up to get the door when the Chinese food was delivered, and Fraser managed to sit up and eat and then go back to a sort of relaxed looking position without once doing the ramrod straight, can’t touch the back cushion thing. So Ray felt good about the new couch. And Fraser got so relaxed he actually fell asleep somewhere near the end of the second period. Ray looked over and Fraser was completely gone, mouth slightly open, head flopping to the left. Ray watched Fraser for a minute and thought about waking him up, but decided not to. It was good that Fraser drifted off. It meant he was really comfortable. Ray would let him rest for a while and then wake him when the game was ending.

_THE SECOND DAY_

Bright. _Why is it so fucking bright?_ Ray woke up to early morning light hitting him in the face through the open living room blinds. The afghan his mother had crocheted was covering him. Fraser must have draped it over Ray before leaving late last night. Or early this morning. Nice of him to think of it.

Ray didn’t remember falling asleep, but he didn’t remember the end of the Blackhawks game either, so he must have dropped off not too long after Fraser. He stretched and reached down to tug at his jeans, which had twisted around his waist while he slept. He hauled himself off the couch and into the shower.

Ray wished Fraser had stayed so they could have gone to the diner two blocks down. Pancakes and bacon would be good. But Ray didn’t like to linger over breakfast when he was alone. He decided to shower quickly and just grab coffee. Getting to the station early would give him a chance to get a bunch of paperwork out of the way before Fraser showed up.

Ray got a lot done in the morning, with only a couple of trips to the break room for coffee. But when Fraser walked in, he didn’t look so good, and he was the one who couldn’t concentrate for a change. Ray started to feel bad. Maybe he shouldn’t have let Fraser sleep in front of the TV for so long last night. Maybe he would have slept better in his own bed. Or cot.

When Ray noticed Fraser staring at the same blank form for several minutes, he sighed. “I guess you don’t want to come over tonight.”

Fraser frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You seem out of it. I figured you’re tired.”

“I’m fine, Ray.”

“OK,” Ray agreed. “So you wanna come over?”

“I’d like that very much. Thank you,” Fraser said, and Ray felt better. Because even though Fraser sounded like he was RSVPing for the queen’s tea party, Ray could see he really did want to come over. So there wasn’t really anything to worry about.

_THE SIXTH DAY_

Cold. Ray woke up cold. He reached out, groping. _Blankets? Where are the blankets?_ Then Ray was being covered up, nice and cozy. _What? Oh, Fraser. The couch._ Fraser was putting the afghan over him.

“Fraser?”

“Yes, Ray?”

“You’re going?” Ray asked with a yawn.

“Yes, Ray.”

“I told you it’s a good couch. It’s the best. Yeah?”

“Yes, I’ve completely revised my opinion of your new couch,” Fraser whispered.

Ray smiled. “Night, Fraser.”

“Good night, Ray.”

After Ray heard the front door snap closed, he pulled the blanket over his head.

Ray hadn’t slept in his bed for days. Every evening had played out the same way. After dinner Ray and Fraser would settle back onto the couch, and Ray would wait until Fraser nodded off before letting himself fall asleep too. He was the host, after all. He figured if there were any rules of etiquette about falling asleep on the couch, they would probably say it was rude for a host to drop off before his guest. Fraser would get up early and let himself out, but usually Ray slept straight through until morning, and he slept so well he didn’t even have to rely on his alarm clock to wake him up.

Ray loved the new couch.

_THE NINTH DAY_

Warm. So warm. Soft hair tickling his nose. Deep breath. _Smells good._ Soft, hot skin under his hand.

Ray snuggled closer, pushing his hips forward and sliding his hand down. _Jeans? Jeans in bed?_ Ray tried to shake off the sleepy fog that was making him so confused. _Oh, right. The couch._ They were sleeping on the couch. Fraser hadn’t even made it through the first period this time. _Fraser?_

Ray froze.

It was _Fraser_. It was Fraser’s belly under Ray’s hand, and Fraser’s hair that smelled so good. Fraser’s ass that Ray was still pushed up against.

_Oh shit._

Ray tilted his hips as far away from Fraser as possible and started to inch his hand out of Fraser’s shirt. If he moved slow enough, maybe he could slide away and get off the couch without Fraser ever waking up.

But then Fraser grabbed Ray’s hand.

_Fraser’s awake?_

Maybe Fraser wasn’t awake. Maybe he was just doing all of this in his sleep. But Fraser might wake up if Ray kept fighting him, so he relaxed his arm and let Fraser tug on it. Fraser pulled Ray’s arm around and pressed Ray’s hand back where it had been resting on Fraser’s stomach. Fraser kept his hand there for a couple of seconds, then he let go.

Ray’s mind was reeling. It sure didn’t seem like Fraser was asleep. He had even tucked Ray’s hand back up under his shirt. _What the hell is going on?_ Ray knew he couldn’t just lay there, his hand on Fraser like that. He had to _do_ something. _Say_ something.

Ray felt Fraser move. Ray thought at first it must be his imagination, but then Fraser moved again. Pressing his hips back against Ray’s. _Man, that feels good._ Another person, a real live person there. Fraser there, instead of just his own hand or his fantasies, and anyway, who could have imagined this? Ray held his breath.

Fraser pushed back again, and this time Ray couldn’t stand it. He pushed his hips forward, and when he did Fraser moaned, low in his chest. Ray couldn’t believe how hot it sounded. Ray moved his hand down over Fraser’s zipper. _Jesus_ , Fraser was _hard._

Ray held his hand there, his mind reeling. Ray wanted this. Wanted it a lot. But it was _crazy_. Ray whispered, “Fraser?” and slid his hand up and down.

“Oh God, Ray,” Fraser panted.

It only took a split second for Ray to get his hand into Fraser’s pants, and Fraser moaned again. Ray stroked Fraser’s cock while he rubbed against Fraser’s ass through layers of denim. Fraser moaned louder. _God, that’s good._ Ray pushed harder and stroked faster, and Fraser went all stiff, and then Fraser was coming, and Ray started freaking out.

_Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit._

He froze, his hand still tangled in Fraser’s boxers. Fraser grabbed Ray’s wrist and pulled his hand away. _Shit._ Then Fraser sat up and moved off the couch. Ray started to sit up too, trying to think of something to say. What the fuck could he say? He just molested his partner. _Holy shit!_ But when Fraser turned to Ray, he didn’t speak. He got down on his knees and leaned between Ray’s thighs and looked up.

_Oh shit._

Ray closed his eyes. Fraser’s hand was at his belt, and Ray held his breath. One of Fraser’s hands grasped Ray’s hip, and Ray could feel the other tugging at his zipper.

_Oh, yes. Please, please, please._

Ray peeked down and saw Fraser bending over. Too much. Ray clenched his eyes shut.

Fraser’s _mouth. Jesus._

Ray came so hard and fast his stomach hurt.

Afterward Ray lay there, trying to catch his breath. He could feel Fraser’s weight resting on his legs. And was that Fraser’s head on his stomach? Ray struggled to lift his head and see, and Fraser looked up too. And Ray felt scared and confused and freaked out, but when he saw Fraser’s face that didn’t seem to matter. Fraser looked lost too, and somehow that made Ray feel better.

“C’mere,” Ray said, tugging at Fraser’s arm. “Come up here.”

Ray tried to settle back onto the cushions, but his jeans tangled around his thighs, and he had to push them off. He took a second to wipe his sticky hand on the denim before dropping the jeans onto the floor. Then Fraser let Ray pull him up onto the couch, and they crowded together, Fraser lying half on top of Ray. Ray wrapped his arms around Fraser’s shoulders, but he didn’t say anything. He couldn’t let himself think just yet. He rubbed Fraser’s back a little, which seemed to make Fraser relax just the tiniest bit. So Ray kept doing it. He rubbed in slow circles, gently but hard enough not to tickle. After a while he was pretty sure Fraser had fallen asleep, so he stopped.

_I never even kissed him_ , Ray thought. So he kissed the side of Fraser’s head, which was the only place he could reach without moving around too much and maybe waking Fraser up.

_THE TENTH DAY_

The next morning Ray woke up on the couch, the blanket draped over his T-shirt and underwear and Fraser nowhere to be found.

Ray’s head felt blurry, and he couldn’t quite believe what he was remembering. Maybe it was just a dream? But it if it was, what kind of fucked up dreams was his brain coming up with? Ray caught sight of his jeans in a heap on the floor, and he remembered yanking them off the night before. And yeah, when he wiggled his hand, he could feel dried flaky stuff between his fingers.

_Jesus_. He needed coffee.

But as he gulped his first cup, he realized he didn’t feel all that bad. If somebody’d asked him yesterday, “How would you feel if you jerked your best friend off, then he turned around and gave you a quick and dirty blow job?” he’d have thought he’d feel pretty damn strange. But he didn’t. He _knew_ things were weird, but he didn’t _feel_ all that weird. Ray spent the morning trying to decide why he wasn’t completely freaking out.

Part of it had to be the whole guy on guy thing. He was already over that. There had been a few guys back in college, when he and Stella were fighting. It seemed less like cheating to fool around with a guy instead of a girl, somehow. Ray knew it wasn’t cheating anyway if they were broken up right then, but it made him feel better. Then later, when Stella left him for good and cheating wasn’t an issue anymore, he hadn’t wanted anyone. Nothing. So where did this thing with Fraser come from? This was different, wasn’t it? He wasn’t a kid any more. Plus, this was Fraser.

The fact that it was Fraser made it both more unbelievable and easier to deal with. One the one hand: Fraser. _Fraser_ , who, until the night before, Ray couldn’t have imagined having sex at all, or even wanting to. He was too much of a boy scout for sex. But on the other hand, if Ray could get over that part—the part of his brain that still balked at the idea of Fraser liking sex and being _good_ at it—he felt like he couldn’t have picked anyone better. It was Fraser. Ray trusted Fraser. Fraser was the best guy around. So this would be OK, right?

But would Fraser think it was OK? Fraser had _started_ it. Sort of. But what if he’d been half-asleep? What if he hadn’t really meant it? What if he’d been caught by surprise? Felt a hand on his dick and just gone with it. Ray hadn’t exactly given him much of a chance to say no. What if he’d just gone down on Ray ’cause he felt like he _owed_ him?

Ray kept changing his mind as he showered and dressed and drove into work. Fraser did it to even the score, or just out of guilt. No, Fraser really had wanted him. Back and forth, all through the drive.

Once Ray got to the station, a whole new set of problems cropped up. Would they be able to work together? Would people be able to tell what had happened?

And would Fraser want to do it again?

By 11:30, Ray was looking at his watch every thirteen seconds, even though Fraser wasn’t due until noon. At 12:15 Ray was fighting panic. Then Fraser walked in, and Ray smiled in relief. Fraser saw him smile but didn’t exactly smile back, so Ray stopped. Maybe Fraser wasn’t ready for a smile. Fraser’s face didn’t tell Ray anything.

“Good afternoon, Ray,” Fraser said. “I’m sorry I’m late.” Fraser seemed to be staring at something on Ray’s right shoulder.

“It’s OK, Fraser,” Ray answered. He wanted to reach out and grab Fraser and make him react, but he knew he couldn’t. “There’s not much going on here anyway.”

It was an endless afternoon. All the paperwork Ray hadn’t been able to concentrate on that morning had to be done. Ray kept looking at the phone, willing it to ring and get them out of there, doing something. _Probably shouldn’t be hoping somebody commits a crime._ It was so quiet that Welsh went home at five o’clock, and Ray realized it was time for him and Fraser to leave too.

Ray studied Fraser, trying to figure out whether he should say something.

“I guess after we finish this one up we could get out of here,” Ray offered.

“Yes,” Fraser answered.

_Real helpful there. Thanks, buddy._

“You hungry?”

Fraser’s head snapped up, and he looked Ray right in the eye for the first time that day. “Yes, Ray, as a matter of fact I am.”

“Great.” Ray tried to smile, but he suddenly felt so nervous he was sure it looked more like a sneer. “Greatness. What do you feel like?”

“Oh, you decide, Ray. Anything is fine with me.”

_Great. Everything up to me._

“OK. Uh…” Ray tried to think of what Fraser would pick and remembered him raving about a meal they’d had last week. “How about that Thai place?”

Fraser smiled, and Ray thought he maybe blushed a little. So Fraser knew that Ray had picked a place he liked on purpose. And he liked that Ray picked a place for him. All good.

“You wanna eat there or get it to go?”

“It’s up to you,” Fraser said.

“Why don’t we take it back to my place?” Ray said. Now he was the one having trouble looking Fraser in the eye.

“That sounds fine, Ray.”

The whole time they were eating Ray kept sneaking glances over at Fraser. Fraser’s eyes never ventured anywhere other than the TV and his plate. But Ray was relieved to see that Fraser was at least sitting comfortably. He was sitting up to eat, but he wasn’t doing that stiff-backed, perch on the edge thing. So maybe things weren’t completely shot to hell.

Fraser set his plate on the coffee table. Ray was glad to see that too. It had taken him weeks to break Fraser of the habit of getting up to wash the dishes immediately after they finished dinner. But then Fraser just stared at the television, and it was obvious he wasn’t paying attention to the game.

“Fraser.”

“Yes, Ray?” It was Fraser’s polite voice. And Fraser didn’t look at Ray when he spoke.

“Last night…” Ray said, but he stopped when he saw Fraser wince. Ray waited as long as he could stand it, but he had to get this out in the open. “I just gotta know, Fraser. Did I— I mean, was that—”

Fraser waited for Ray to finish, his head bowed, staring at his hands.

“I mean, I’ve been falling asleep with you on this couch and waking up alone for about a week now. But last night was the first—” Ray sat up. “It was the first time, wasn’t it? I couldn’t sleep through something like that, right?”

“Good Lord, no!” Fraser said. He pressed a hand over his eyes. “I wouldn’t— Nothing happened!” Fraser’s hand dropped. “That is, I was asleep too the first time. That first night. I woke up with your arms around me. I got up as quietly as I could. I didn’t want to wake you. And then the next night… I knew you thought I was…” Fraser rubbed his eyebrow. “I was sure you thought you were with your ex-wife.”

Fraser met Ray’s eyes. The way Fraser looked at him. It made Ray’s throat go all tight.

“But you seemed to like sleeping that way. I didn’t think it was stepping too far over the line to just… let it happen.” Fraser turned away. “You never woke up?”

“Not until last night.”

Maybe Fraser expected Ray to be angry. Or maybe he just thought Ray was looking to explain all of this away and forget it ever happened. Fraser seemed to feel so _guilty_ , but all he’d done, as far as Ray could tell, was not wake Ray up when he started to get handsy in his sleep. Fraser looked so sad and lonely sitting there, waiting for Ray to pass judgment or something. Fraser, of all people, shouldn’t feel like that.

“Fraser,” Ray said, but Fraser didn’t look up. Ray reached over and grabbed Fraser’s shoulder, giving it a little shake. Fraser started to stand up, but Ray pulled him back down and pushed him back deep into the corner of the sofa. Fraser’s eyes grew wide. Ray crawled up and straddled Fraser’s legs.

_I’m going to kiss him, Ray thought. Nothing but kiss him for at least an hour._

_THE ELEVENTH DAY_

The next morning Ray woke up alone. He was naked under the throw on the couch, and Fraser was gone.

But when Ray got to the station, Fraser was already there. He couldn’t look Ray in the eye, but every once in a while he would smile a little bit, and Ray figured Fraser was doing OK. Learning to deal with the idea.

That night they ordered pizza for dinner, but while they were waiting for it to come, Ray reached over and slid a finger into one of Fraser’s belt loops. By the time the delivery guy knocked, they were too busy to answer the door.

_THE TWELFTH DAY_

Fraser skipped out in the wee hours again. Work went OK, and they had Chinese for dinner. Then Ray leaned over and stuck his tongue in Fraser’s ear, and Fraser made Ray come three times.

_THE THIRTEENTH DAY_

Ray had been starving and had wolfed down his meal, and now he was watching Fraser finish up the last few bites of his pasta. _Real nice manners_ , Ray thought. _My mother would love it._ Fraser ate in such a proper way even when they were just sitting on the couch eating out of plastic carry-out containers. Bite after neat and tidy bite. Fraser had taken off his tunic and hung it in the closet. He had placed his boots side by side at the end of the couch. He was sitting there in just that undershirt-type thing, with his suspenders hanging down around his thighs. Before, Ray didn’t like it when Fraser wore just part of the uniform like that, like he was half mountie and half regular person, but that’s sort of what Fraser was, so it didn’t bother Ray any more.

_This is bad. I even think he looks hot in those stupid pants._

Fraser finally finished eating and reached over to drop his empty container into the paper bag sitting on the floor. He looked at his hand, noticed a drip of marinara on one of his fingers, and reached for a paper napkin. But before Fraser picked up the napkin Ray grabbed Fraser’s hand and licked the sauce right off his knuckle. Ray heard the breath Fraser let out and looked up to grin at him. Then he pulled the whole finger into his mouth, sucking on it until he got a little whimper out of Fraser. Then he let Fraser’s hand fall and bent in for a kiss. Fraser moaned.

Ray climbed up onto Fraser’s lap, straddling his legs. The way Fraser kept grabbing Ray’s ass, Ray figured Fraser really liked it when they were making out like this. Fraser’s hands roamed around, rubbing all over Ray’s back and thighs, but they always ended up on his ass, pulling Ray’s hips closer to his. Ray held Fraser’s head and gave him slow, deep kisses. Then he wanted to feel Fraser’s skin, and he pulled on Fraser’s shirt until he got it off. Another kiss. It wasn’t enough. Ray wanted more. He pulled away, reached down, and tried to open Fraser’s pants, but he couldn’t figure out how they were buttoned.

“Off!” Ray ordered in a whisper, tugging at the scratchy fabric. “Off, off, off!”

Ray slid off Fraser’s lap onto the floor to let Fraser get out of his clothes. Ray tried to take his clothes off too, but Fraser was faster, and by the time Ray got his T-shirt over his head Fraser was sitting on the couch again. It was the first time Fraser had gotten completely naked. _Wow._ But Fraser looked uneasy. Ray knelt between Fraser’s legs to kiss him, thinking to reassure him, but the kiss didn’t stay gentle for long. Ray could feel Fraser’s bare knees against his sides and had to touch, running his hands up over the muscles in Fraser’s thighs, up over his stomach to his smooth chest. But maybe it was OK that Ray couldn’t hold back, because when he leaned back to check, Fraser looked downright shameless, gazing at Ray through lowered eyelids and breathing heavy. Ray ran his hands from Fraser’s shoulders down to his hips. _So warm._

Ray pulled Fraser forward until he was sitting right on the edge of the couch, so their bodies touched chest to chest and hip to hip. Feeling Fraser’s cock against his— _Good, so good_ —Ray thought about just going with that, not stopping until they both came that way. But it wasn’t what Ray really wanted. He gave Fraser one more kiss and pulled away. Fraser groaned, and it wasn’t the good kind of groan. Fraser was frustrated. But Ray ignored it and pushed at Fraser’s shoulders until he fell back onto the couch, almost laying down. Then Ray reached out to wrap his hand around Fraser’s cock. Fraser moaned, and his eyes closed.

Ray watched Fraser’s face and started moving his hand, feeling a little nervous. He hadn’t gone down on Fraser before. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to. He just wasn’t quite sure how to do it. His experience with guys ran to more of the “get drunk and jerk each other off” kind of thing. And Fraser was so good at it— _so_ fucking good. Ray knew it wasn’t a competition, and of course even a lousy blow job was going to feel pretty good. But he didn’t want to give a lousy blow job.

Ray was still touching Fraser with one hand, and he heard Fraser let out a kind of sigh. It was a good sound. Happy. But Ray didn’t want a quiet little sigh. He’d rather make Fraser yell. _Here goes nothing._ Ray licked his lip, then bent down and ran his tongue up the length of Fraser’s cock from the base to the tip. Fraser gasped and sat up, his body curling around Ray’s head, grabbing Ray’s shoulders.

Ray almost laughed. _OK, I guess he liked it._ But he couldn’t move very much this way. He tilted his head to plant a kiss on Fraser’s stomach, then reached up with one hand and pushed Fraser back down onto the couch. Once Fraser was more relaxed. Ray leaned down and took Fraser’s cock into his mouth, first sucking just on the head, then getting braver and trying for more depth. Fraser moaned and bucked up into Ray’s mouth, which pushed too deep. Ray pulled away for a second, but he didn’t really mind. It was good that Fraser was losing control. Gripping Fraser’s hip with one hand to keep him still, Ray swirled his tongue around the tip and then closed his lips around the shaft, sliding down as far as he could. 

“Ray,” Fraser whispered. “ _Ray._ ”

_He’s close. Won’t take much longer._ Ray squeezed slightly with his hand, hoping to slow things down, wanting to make it last, but Fraser breathed out his name again, and Ray knew it was too late for that. He knew Fraser was warning him, but he didn’t move away. He wanted Fraser to come in his mouth. Ray moved his hand away and slid his lips down as far as he could, and Fraser came, flooding Ray’s mouth.

It wasn’t until Fraser was still and quiet that Ray felt Fraser’s hands in his hair, holding his head a little too tight. Ray kind of wanted to spit, but then he thought, _Geez, no. New couch._ So he went ahead and swallowed, and it really wasn’t that big a deal. He shifted a little, and Fraser must have realize that he still had a death grip on his skull and let go.

Ray raised his head and looked at Fraser sprawled on the couch, panting and flushed. _I did that_ , Ray thought. It kind of surprised him. Fraser looked so relaxed, so happy.

Ray rested his head on Fraser’s stomach, and closed his eyes, trying give them both some recovery time, but Fraser was already starting to sit up. He grabbed Ray and kissed him, and Ray wrapped his arms around Fraser’s waist. Fraser moved as if to pull Ray up onto the couch with him, so Ray tried to help, but as he started to straighten his stiff knees, he felt himself being practically lifted onto the couch. He looked up at Fraser, and boy, did Fraser look intense. Determined. Fraser grabbed the waistband of Ray’s jeans and in one violent motion yanked the button and the zipper wide open.

_Hell yeah!_

Once Fraser got Ray completely undressed he stopped and just looked at him. Ray reached up and tried to pull Fraser down on top of him. _What’s he waiting for?_ But Fraser put his hand on Ray’s chest to hold him down. Then a wicked grin spread across Fraser’s face.

_Shit_ , that was _Fraser_ smiling like that.

It seemed to Ray like they sat there forever, just looking at each other, and Fraser still didn’t do anything. “Fraser!” Ray said in a whisper. And yeah, he was begging, which made Fraser’s grin grow a little wider.

One of Fraser’s hands stayed firmly on Ray’s chest, keeping him from sitting up or moving around much at all. Fraser reached up with the other hand and touched Ray’s face. _He’s getting mushy on me now? Now? When I’m going to explode if he doesn’t do something?_ But then Fraser pushed one finger into Ray’s mouth. Ray closed his eyes and sucked on it, willing to go along with anything as long as Fraser did _something_. Then Fraser pushed in a second finger. Ray tried to be enthusiastic, sucking both fingers and stroking them with his tongue until Fraser pulled his hand away.

Ray opened his eyes for a second and saw Fraser’s face, still looking intent and all kinds of hot. He looked down to see Fraser’s hand heading south. _Finally_. But Fraser didn’t touch his cock. His wet fingers slid between the cheeks of Ray’s ass.

Ray tensed up. He couldn’t help it. This was new.

Fraser froze too. “Ray?”

“Yeah,” Ray gasped. “It’s OK. I’m OK.” He looked up at Fraser and hated seeing a frown instead of the sexy smile. He forced himself to relax. “Come on, Fraser,” he said, letting his eyes fall closed again. “I’m good. Don’t stop.”

Ray waited, but there was nothing. _Come on, buddy. Don’t freak out on me now. Please._ Then Fraser’s other hand lifted off of Ray’s chest. Ray sat up partway and leaned on his elbows. He saw Fraser pick up his pants. _Shit, is he getting dressed?_

“Fraser, I—”

“Just one moment, Ray,” Fraser whispered, and he didn’t seem freaked out or anything, so Ray dropped back down flat and waited. He heard a strange sound, and when he looked to see what it was, there was a little bottle in Fraser’s hand. _Fraser’s got lube?_ The idea of Fraser carrying that bottle around in his pocket all day was just… Ray didn’t know what it was. It was kind of hot, but it was also sweet. Thoughtful. Ray kept his eyes closed and concentrated on breathing.

When Fraser’s finger touched Ray’s asshole it was all Ray could do not to tense up again. But Fraser didn’t push inside right away. He sort of rubbed around the outside, making light little circles. Then he pressed a little harder. Good. Slippery and good. But not good enough. Just good enough to make Ray wish Fraser would use all that slippery to jerk him off instead. Then Fraser slowly pushed one finger inside. It was strange, but not bad. Then Fraser started _moving_ , and it was even stranger but better. Ray had never realized how sensitive he was back there, which was probably stupid on his part, but…

_Thinking too much._ Ray tried to stop analyzing and get into it, but it just wasn’t doing enough for him. He opened his eyes, trying to see if Fraser at least was getting off on this. Fraser was looking at Ray with the same intense, determined look he had on his face when he first pulled off Ray’s jeans. _God, he wants to fuck me_ , Ray thought. The realization was terrifying and unbelievably hot. Ray could actually feeling himself blushing, which was ridiculous considering what Fraser was already doing to him. He tried to imagine what it would be like, but he’d just had his hand on Fraser’s dick, and he knew it was a hell of a lot bigger than his finger, and…

_Stop thinking!_ Ray shook his head a little bit, trying to clear it. He tried to focus only on what Fraser was doing. He tilted his hips, bending his left knee to make it easier for Fraser, who grunted in approval and pushed his finger in deeper.

_Holy shit!_ Pleasure flooded out through Ray’s body. It was like the heat that spreads out from your belly after a shot of hard liquor. _What the fuck?_ Fraser pushed his finger in to hit the same spot again, and then a third time, and Ray moaned. Then Fraser started to pull his hand away.

“God, don’t stop!” Ray begged.

But he felt pressure again. More. Two fingers. Ray moaned. He spread his legs wider, bracing one foot on the coffee table. Fraser pressed deeper. “Fraser,” Ray groaned. Fraser’s fingers moved in a steady rhythm, stroking just the right place again and again. _God, so good._ Ray forced his eyelids open to look at Fraser, leaning over, concentrating on Ray. Now Ray could imagine Fraser fucking him. Fraser’s cock inside him, making him feel like this. Fraser coming inside him. _Jesus, so good._ It pushed Ray over the edge, and he came.

Ray reached up, and Fraser fell across his stomach. Ray ran his fingers through Fraser’s hair and left his hand there, trying to catch his breath. Fraser. Fraser made him come without even touching his dick. He had to be good at everything, didn’t he? But the thought made Ray smile. Then he thought of Fraser’s smile. The evil, sexy grin.

_Jesus, what people don’t know about Benton Fraser could fill a book._

Still grinning, Ray gave Fraser’s hair a gentle tug, and Fraser turned his head a little bit. But there was no wicked smile. Not even a “just had great sex and I have no energy left but I feel good” kind of smile. Just a pathetic little “I’m going through the motions cause you’re smiling at me” smile, and then Fraser ducked his head.

“Fraser, what the hell?”

Fraser didn’t say anything.

Ray didn’t get it. How could Fraser go from grinning sex maniac to bashful in less than a minute? But this change was right on schedule too. First it was zero to sixty in no time, and then when it was all over, Fraser slammed on the brakes. Complete shutdown. Every time. He would let Ray manhandle him into something resembling a snuggle, but it was like he wasn’t all there.

“Come here,” Ray said, pulling on Fraser’s arm. He forced Fraser up on to the couch and pulled him close. Fraser made a little sound that might have been a protest, but Ray ignored it and wrapped his arms around Fraser’s back. He said Fraser’s name over and over until he got eye contact and then kissed him.

“That was… Geez, that was really good. How can you be shy after all the stuff we just did?”

“I’m not shy, Ray.”

“Then what’s up?” Ray pushed Fraser away a little so they could see each other better.

“I’m… uncertain.”

“Uncertain about what? About this?” Ray asked, lifting his hand and waving it vaguely over their bodies.

“You never…” Fraser cleared his throat. “I never thought that you felt anything… I mean, until you got the new couch—”

Ray shrugged. “So it took us by surprise a little bit. That doesn’t mean—”

“No,” Fraser said. His voice had force behind it. Apparently he wasn’t uncertain about _this_. “No, it didn’t take me by surprise, Ray. I’ve known how I feel about you for quite some time.”

Ray didn’t know what Fraser meant, exactly. Did he just mean that he wanted Ray? Like for sex? Or was he talking more about emotional stuff? Either way, Ray liked the way Fraser said it, like he’d made the decision and there was no turning back.

“Well, that’s good then,” Ray said. He tried to pull Fraser close, but Fraser resisted.

“You had no idea before?” Fraser whispered.

Ray shook his head. “But I’m with you _now_ , right? That’s all that matters.” Ray pulled Fraser close again, giving him one last deep kiss. Fraser buried his face in Ray’s neck, and Ray listened until Fraser’s breathing got slow and deep.

_Maybe he’ll stay_ , Ray thought to himself before he fell asleep.

_THE FOURTEENTH DAY_

Ray woke up alone.

Later Fraser called to say that he wouldn’t be by the station that day. No big deal. He couldn’t really talk much just then, and Ray understood that. But when Ray called the consulate later to ask about dinner, Turnbull answered the phone. He said, “Constable Fraser has gone to run errands for Inspector Thatcher. Is there anything that I can help you with, Detective Vecchio?” Ray had never felt like slugging him more.

Ray tried to sleep in his bed like a normal person, but he tossed and turned for hours until he gave up and came back to out to the living room to watch TV. He feel asleep on the couch somewhere around four in the morning.

_THE FIFTEENTH DAY_

“You’re not coming over?” Ray asked.

“No, not tonight,” Fraser answered. He sounded completely calm and relaxed.

Ray watched as Fraser typed. Ray might have believed that typing needed all that concentration, cause the boxes on the form were tiny, and Ray always ended up with the letters sitting partway outside the lines so that nobody could read the words. But Ray had seen Fraser fill out these forms in moments while lecturing Dief about his eating habits, fending off Frannie, and explaining the migration patterns of tundra wildlife all at the same time. So Ray wasn’t buying it. Fraser was hiding.

Ray glanced around the room. “You didn’t come over last night either,” Ray pointed out. He was careful to keep his voice just as calm and relaxed as Fraser’s.

Fraser didn’t answer. He pulled the form out of the typewriter and handed it to Ray, who dropped it on the desk without looking at it. Ray waited, but Fraser didn’t look up. Ray could take a hint. And this was more than a hint. He wasn’t going to embarrass himself. He wasn’t. If Fraser wanted to hide, fine.

Ray stood up. “OK. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Fraser cleared his throat. “Tomorrow is Sunday.”

“Right. OK. See you Monday,” Ray answered. Then he grabbed his jacket and forced himself to walk very slowly out of the room.

He went home alone. He turned on the TV and spent over an hour figuring out there was nothing on he wanted to watch. He tried music for a while, but every song sounded either too happy or too sad, so he switched it off. He thought about getting something together for dinner, but that just made him mad.

Wasn’t it strange to have dinner with someone almost every night and then just stop? And even before—before the sex stuff—he and Fraser had been having dinner together and watching a game or a movie almost every night for weeks. It was only when something else came up that they didn’t hang out together. Ray might pull a double shift, and even then Fraser usually stayed too. Or Fraser might have some fancy thing at the consulate. But they at least told each other about it. And then today and last night, nothing. Just Fraser saying “no” without actually saying anything at all.

Suddenly Ray didn’t care if it was embarrassing. He was going to go see Fraser.

When Fraser answered the consulate door he seemed genuinely surprised to see Ray standing there. Fraser seemed nervous but happy, and not just polite happy. He opened the door and said all the right things. It made everything feel normal, and Ray starting thinking again about being embarrassed. But once Fraser led him back to that crappy, crowded office and Ray saw a book laying there on Fraser’s sad little cot with the blanket all rumpled, he got angry all over again. Fraser wasn’t really doing anything. He was just sitting there alone in his depressing office, reading. Like that was a better way to spend his time than hanging out with Ray.

“Why don’t you want to come over?” Ray said, his voice sounding too loud in the small room.

Fraser’s eyebrows shot up, like he was surprised that Ray was being so direct, but Ray figured he was going to make an ass of himself anyway. He may as well get it over with.

Ray didn’t want to talk so loud again, so he tried to control his voice. But he overcompensated, and it came out as almost a whisper. “We don’t have to do anything. We could just hang out. Watch TV or something.”

Fraser bent over and picked the book up off the cot. Then he plopped down onto it like he was really tired. He sighed and finally spoke. “I’m afraid I don’t sleep very soundly on the couch.”

Ray shook his head. “What the hell is it with you and my couch? It’s a couch, Fraser. Get over it.”

Fraser was looking at the floor. “You said the old one was a ‘loser couch.’ ”

“Yeah?”

“That the former owner was moving in with his girlfriend, while you were getting a divorce.”

Ray was losing patience. What the hell did this have to do with anything? “Yeah? So?”

“I thought that you were thinking of this as a _bachelor’s_ couch, that you were thinking about dating and considering—”

“I don’t want to get _married_ , Fraser. Geez, is that what you think?”

“I know you liked being married, Ray.”

“I just wanted the place to be nicer. We’ve been hanging out there so much, and it’s such a dump. You’re so freakin’ tidy. I figured all my crap was driving you nuts. So I put some junk away. I got a new couch. It’s not a big deal.”

“I’ve always found your apartment very interesting, Ray. It doesn’t drive me nuts.”

“Good then.” Ray was glad to hear it. Trying to straighten up the place hadn’t been working so great anyway. “So we’re OK?”

Fraser didn’t answer.

“God, there’s more?”

“If you’re really not thinking about remarrying, then why…”

“Come on, spit it out, Frase.”

“It bothers me that you don’t want me in your bed,” Fraser said in a rush.

“I don’t want—? What are you talking about? I want you all over the place. You think I didn’t wanna move things to the bedroom? To the shower? I could do some good things to you with soap, Fraser. But you were so jumpy. Always waiting for me to make the first move. Always running out without even saying goodbye. I didn’t want to rock the boat.” Ray looked at Fraser and suddenly understood. “Wait, you thought it didn’t _count_ or something? Just cause we were on the couch?”

“It did all seem kind of accidental. Temporary.”

“You mean like I was just killing time? Fooling around with you until I found myself a wife?”

Fraser looked sheepish. “It sounds silly when you say it like that.”

“It sounds silly no matter how you say it.” Ray walked over to the cot and put his hand on top of Fraser’s head. Fraser looked up at him. “It’s good to know you can be an idiot, just like the rest of us.”

“I was an idiot?”

“Let’s put it this way. You know that thing you do where you get a couple of tiny clues—you lick something over here, see a smudge over there—and suddenly you crack the whole thing wide open?”

“Ray, I don’t—”

“Yeah, you do, and it’s great, cause you’re always right. When we’re working. But don’t do it with love stuff, Fraser. You suck at it.”

“Love?”

Ray raised his eyebrows. “Is that what you need? You need me to get mushy?” Hoping it would make Fraser smile, Ray put on a tough guy face. “Cause I can get mushy,” he said, like it was a threat.

“No, Ray, of course not.”

But Ray saw the way Fraser was looking down at the floor again. So Ray sat down on the cot, really close to Fraser so their legs were touching. Then he wrapped an arm around Fraser and whispered in his ear, “Maybe just every once in a while, huh?”

“If you like,” Fraser said quietly.

They sat there for a few seconds without saying anything.

Then Ray nudged Fraser’s knee with his and waited until Fraser looked at him. “Do you want to hear my plan?”

Fraser nodded.

“Pack a bag. Bring a toothbrush, razor, change of clothes, kitchen sink, whatever you want. Get the wolf. Come home with me. We’ll have hot crazy sex. In my bed. And then we’ll sleep in my bed. Hey, maybe we can have breakfast in bed. What do you think?”

“It’s an excellent plan, Ray.” It made Ray happy to hear Fraser’s deadpan delivery.

Watching Fraser pack, Ray said, “I can’t believe you were jealous of my couch.”

“I wasn’t jealous of your couch.”

“OK, you were jealous of some imaginary woman who I might some day meet and maybe invite over to hypothetically sit on my non-loser couch.”

Fraser blushed a little, but he was smiling. “You like that I was jealous?”

“Yeah, I do,” Ray said with a flash of a smile. “I like it a lot.”

The End


End file.
